How Wanted 2 Became Hollywood’s Ghost of Missed Opportunities
Remember Wanted? The 2008 action-packed film where James McAvoy flung bullets like he was playing billiards with a sniper rifle?
It was a box office hit, grossing over $342 million worldwide, and yet here we are—16 years later—with no sequel in sight. Hollywood logic at its finest. Hollywood logic at its finest.
But why has Wanted 2 been circling the cinematic drain for more than a decade?
Co-writer Michael Brandt has offered up some tidbits about why this highly anticipated sequel remains stuck in limbo.
And trust me, it’s a juicier behind-the-scenes drama than the movie itself.
Multiple Scripts, Zero Sequels: Who’s to Blame?
The biggest obstacle? You guessed it—creative differences. Brandt explained that he and Derek Haas wrote a perfectly good sequel script, one that could’ve been a “proper sequel” to the original.
The studio was interested, and the director Timur Bekmambetov was on board… but, of course, he had thoughts.
While Brandt envisioned a natural continuation of Wesley’s (James McAvoy) story with some nifty twists, Bekmambetov suggested something… let’s just say, out of left field.
His “vision”? Drones. Yes, drones and computer tech assassins.
In a world where bending bullets became a thrilling spectacle, Bekmambetov thought, “Nah, why shoot bullets when you can bend… ideas?” Really, Timur?
Wanted, but Not by Jolie
Another wrench in the Wanted 2 saga was Angelina Jolie’s character, Fox, who met an explosive end in the original.
But Hollywood loves a resurrection, and early versions of the sequel did plan to bring her back. Jolie, however, wasn’t having it and walked away from the project.
Her refusal to return led to a rewrite, with plans to introduce a new female lead.
All of this rewriting and actor drama started to deflate the momentum, pushing the sequel into a sort of movie purgatory.
The Hollywood Shuffle: Studio Turnover and Lost Momentum
Here’s where things get a bit tragicomic. Hollywood’s infamous “fast and furious” turnover rate (pun intended) left Wanted 2 constantly getting shuffled to the bottom of the pile.
New projects, new executives, and suddenly Wanted 2 became that unopened email you keep promising to respond to but never do.
Brandt has said that every so often, some hopeful producer gives him a ring, expressing interest in the script.
They love it! They want to see it made! And then… radio silence.
It’s like that one ex who texts you out of nowhere at 2 AM, gets your hopes up, and then vanishes again.
Is There Still Hope?
So, will Wanted 2 ever make it to the big screen? Honestly, it’s like waiting for a Half-Life 3 announcement.
Brandt is still hopeful, and if Bekmambetov gets his way, we could be looking at a Wanted sequel shot entirely using Screenlife technology (think movies like Unfriended).
Imagine watching assassins on Zoom calls, dodging bullets while sharing their screen. Groundbreaking or groan-worthy? You decide.
Why Fans Are Still Holding On
For fans of the original, Wanted was a fresh take on the superhero genre—darker, grittier, and with a sprinkle of comic-book absurdity that made it all work.
The bullet-bending scene is iconic, and McAvoy’s reluctant hero arc was oddly relatable.
So, yeah, we’re still holding on to a sliver of hope that Wanted 2 will eventually happen, even if it’s not what we initially imagined.
But let’s face it, after 16 years of “development hell,” maybe it’s time to embrace Wanted 2 for what it is: the Tupac hologram of sequels.
It exists… sort of, but not in any meaningful, tangible way.